Heart Rates – How Low Can You Go?

It wasn’t that long ago that I first got my hands on a heart rate monitor. I’ve never been sufficiently into the minutiae of fitness training (or dedicated enough?) to apply any kind of science to it, like using a heart rate monitor, but I do love a good competition. Particularly if it’s with myself.

As such, the first thing I did was find my minimum heart rate. Before I reveal the results, however, here are some instructions to find your own resting heart rate so that you can join the game (you don’t need a heart rate monitor)…

How to find your resting heart rate

Your heart rate tends to be at its lowest first thing in the morning, just after you wake up.

Even standing or just sitting up will make your heart work harder so stay lying down.

Find a pulse – wrist and neck are good places

Set a timer for 60 seconds and start counting the pulses. However high you count is your resting heart rate in beats per minute (bpm).

The Minimum Resting Heart Rate Hall of Fame

What’s your resting heart rate? Test yourself with a stop watch or get a heart rate monitor. Add your name to the Hall of Fame. Particularly if you can score lower than 36 to knock Laura off her pedestal.

(N.B. Laura was at pains to emphasise that she is not some kind of superhuman, just “reasonably fit” after the Tube runs)

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About the author

Tim Moss has supported over 100 expeditions across all seven continents. He has climbed new mountains, crossed a desert on foot and recently cycled 13,000 miles around the world. He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society London and a Guinness World Record Holder. He aims to encourage more people to live adventurously. Read more...

My girlfriend smokes, and has had some birth control issues. She has diabetes in the family and has a resting heart rate of about (54) with BP of 85 over 55. She’s got symptoms of peripheral myopathy (tingling and numbness in the extremities) and doesn’t really exercise. She’s had some really severe cramping from some Adhesive Tissue Disease and the doc thought she had an ovarian cyst. It turned out she had a miscarriage yesterday, and has been taking about 400 to 500 mg of naproxen for the pain. I’m wondering how to get her BP and RHR up to what I would consider normal for a 33 year old woman whom is about 157 lbs. she doesn’t drink much, and has cut back on the sweets. The birth control stuff really messed with her hormones and I’ve thought a full hormone panel would be a good idea. I find myself taking her to the hospital for a lot of pain, and the docs just seem to want to give her percoset and send her home.

I’m wondering if she’s taking way too much naproxen, and that’s causing her peripheral numbness and dizziness.

Barbara Kelly

I am a 62 year old woman on chemo and my resting heart rate is 39. When I had cataract surgery this week, the nurse asked me if my heart rate was usually that low. When I told her yes, she asked if I had diabetes. (I do not). In your wife’s case, perhaps the diabetes is affecting her heart rate. In my case, since I am not athletic at the moment, I believe my situation is bradycardia. Low heart rate can be a sign of athleticism, but it can also be a sign of a misfiring heart. It’s important to know the reason for the low heart rate.

Samuel

Michael

My heart stays really low around 20bpm, butt most of the time I feel like it’s going to stop, and going to die, and my eyes get blood shot red. I’m thanking that being to low is not good. I thank my Jesus that I am still alive, He must still have something for me to do for me to still be here.

Snoop Dogg

Im 38 years old and 36 bpm resting… and i just do some fitness twice per week (and without any exercice it was quite the same). Part of my family works on low hearth beats… it’s normal… and good in terms of longevity.

My heart rate is 32-42 night and 50 day and I feel weak a lot .the Dr put in a pacemaker dual leads and st it at 60 and it kicks in 88% on 1 lead and .14 on the 2nd lead so they lowered it to 50 bpm today so it won’t kick in as often . why wouldn’t they want it to kick in as much.

Ryan

Karim

My resting heart rate was registered to be 25 bpm: Last year I was hospitalized for some examinations of heart. I was deep in sleep when I was waken up by a nurse around 3 O’clock in the moring. She asked me if I was OK. I asked the reason for her waking me up: She said that my heart rate was 25. The next day when the doctor who was heart specialist came to me and said that there is nothing wrong with my heart and I should not worry about my low heart rate as its rythem is stable. I am 44 years old. I am not an athlete, but I cycle to my work which is around 20 Km five days a week, but only around 8 to 9 moths a year depending on the weather. It off and on crosses my mind whether I should ask for a second opinion regarding such a low heart rate.

Tom Putnam.

I wore an ecg last month and the doctor said that my heart rate was also 25 bpm in the middle of sleep. They’re going to call me to make an appointment for an ultrasound just in case. However, I wasn’t worried by it, but at least I see I’m not the only one.

My Dr had me wear a monitor 2weeks and resting was 30 and day was 45-50 bmp. So they put a pacemaker in and set it to 60 till today .it was doing the work 88% of the time so they lowered it to 50 so my heart wouldn’t depend on the pacemaker to kick in as much. I’m confused.

Nikki

I have a heart rate of 40, just found out the dr seem concerned and has done me a urgent referral to see a cardiologist, I read you may have to get a pacemaker. How was it to get one? was it painful ? were you off work for a long time. I’m kinda freaked out

6.3

Terry Leigh Eaton

Congratulations you have just one the world’s lowest heart level you people that say you have a heart rate of under 30 Little Liars send me some information to prove if you have a heart rate of even 27 you own the world record look it up at Google ok have a good day

Rebecca Ramsay

Mine is also 25 bpm at night! If you have no secondary symptoms then there is likely nothing to worry about at all. Yes it’s low! The nurse that woke you up doesn’t know that the heart has 2 back up mechanisms that make it near impossible for the heart to stop in sleep. She didn’t need to wake you to ask if you are ok!! As long as the heart structure is functioning strong and normal rhythm then I’d not worry. Wear a pulse monitor when exercising to keep a note of how your heart responds to exercise – keep tabs on how it responds as it should always rise appropriately on exercise. If it is worrying you still – go see a cardiologist. Otherwise really we are freakish but entirely normal (sort of) hahaha!!! Best wishes.

Alexander of Australia

My resting rate is 38bpm and long rest (10 minutes ) lying down is 32 bpm , aged 54. BP will vary but roughly 115/60.
I have always run and or cycled but not at elite level. My longest regular bike ride is 2 hours on a Sunday in a hilly area averaging around 25km/ per hour. I have seen doctor and taken echo stress test and my heart will reach170bpm with only a little puff, at about 8/10 exertion. ECG is perfect. I agree Andrew above, its also about genetics and other influences rather than just fitness.
Just on other influences – I have found that if I back off on eating Bananas and nuts, my RHR will go up a bit- so maybe my genetics could also be suspectible to Potassium. A recent blood test had K level of 5.8- which was slightly over lab reference range.
Anyways, if you have a low Heart rate and you dont feel right, then see your doctor. Ask for an an ECG, consider an Echo to rule out anything structural with your heart and ask your doctor about blood tests for potassium, sodium and calcium ions and also ask about tests for full thyroid function.
Doctors generally seem less concerned about low heart rates if the patient is otherwise healthy and hasn’t encountered events that might suggest fibrillation. Any episode of syncope (fainting) combined with a low heart rate should be treated very seriously and the person should seek urgent medical assessment.

Nicky

Jennette

I’m 58, a few years ago my resting heart rate was around 62, I used to be very active but not so much since age 35. Now my resting rate is 42. Cardiologist says it’s ok, thyroid medication is optimal (had thyroid cancer). Even raised the amount of synthroid I took with no change over a 4 month period. I’m baffled.

Kim

Outside factors are definitely an influence. I’m not hugely fit but just lately I’ve noticed my heart rate being very slow. It measures at 46 bpm. My only conclusion is my body attempting to conserve energy as I have developed anorexia over the last couple of months. I guess you would count that as illness-related though.

mark

I’m normally around 50 but I’ve recently gone on a very low calorie, no carbs or starches or fats diet. My RHR dropped to 38. Must be my body reacting to the low food intake. Measured it tonight and it’s 35! Feel great!

Sean

I’m 40 and overweight. I’ve always had a low resting heart rate that averages in the low 40s. But my record is 38. Whenever I see a lower than normal resting heart rate, it worries me because I’m not particular active. The past 60 days I have been running every day and lifting weights every other day. I’ve lost 30 lbs, but still overweight. I don’t feel strange “until I see my low heart rate” then my anxiety kicks in and I think the world is raining down and I work myself up “into believing I feel funny.” It’s ironic that it only happens when I see my resting heart rate. The media has drilled into our heads that fat people shouldn’t have low heart rates. Yes I have gone to a cardiologist about a year ago and did stress test, echo, EKG, and 21 say holter monitor and they said it all came back as normal (other than high blood pressure, which is being treated — lowest dose possible I was put on last week). My cardiologist told me I won the heart lottery and I have good cardiovascular genetics. I don’t know if this is all good or bad. Lol

Dakshina Moorthy

Touch Wood. Even i’m fat(obese) if I may say about 228 lbs(102kg). Have a low heart rate 40bpm.
I dont have any symptoms associated with low heart rate and at times feel very anxious about it.A couple of months ago went to hospital and had a few test done. Even the holter test was done for a day. Doctors say everything is fine. I’m confused. Still i started exercising and am eating a moderately healthy diet. Lost a few inches and pounds recently.

thesby

thesby

another thing, i went to see the doctor about 4 weeks ago and was surprised how normal my blood pressure was!i eat almonds, bananas and pomegranates berries which improved my bp to normal!also, i do cardio and total gym every other day! that was the cause of my bp and heart rate getting more athletic!if your doctor says everything is ok just keep doing what you’re doing!

Sam

I do not excercise and I smoke 20 fags a day and have done for 30 years. I am a 45 year old woman weigh only 50kg am 5ft 2 and my resting pulse is only 38bpm. I am well pleased with that. Thought it was gonna be well high. Must admit though once when I was having my pulse taken in hospital the nurse asked if I was ok I said yes why? She said according to your pulse your asleep lol

AwfulTruth

thesby

my age is over 50! i have used total gym for over a year and my resting heart rate has improved to 56bpm.i also do cardio exercises, eat veggies and pomergrate berries! just exercise and eat healthy and your heart will be in great shape and have better bpm’s

karim

Michal

My RHR is around 38-40bpm and im 29yo. When I was young, i ve played basketball really active, 7 trainings per day for 7 yrs. Than I ve played handball for 4yrs and sometimes triathlon and running. I think, if you re active, the best is running, your RHR is coming down bcs your lung capacity coming up and your hearth dont need so much “compressions”. Just my theory :)

Nick davis

I was hospitalized with a stroke then around 1am a nurse woke me up and asked if I was ok cause I set the monitors off in the hospital then they rushed all kinds of people in my room my heart rate was 18 bpm which was extremely low stayed in for further observations they told me to take 325 mg of aspirin per day.

salman teymouri

Kevin

Us humans arise from millions of genetic combinations and this low heart resting rate is nothing to get stressed about at all. Whatever your natural norm is exercise will lower it and tension will raise it. The body is a brilliant piece of engineering and has many sensors that trigger applications to stabilise us. I am fat but am the fittest fat guy in town maybe as I run up 3 hills every 3rd day and walk miles twice a day in between. Thats good enough to sustain wellbeing for years to come.

Once you determine your own norm from 25 to 70 resting 1st thing in the morning then it is useful to note if one morning the rate increases by 5+ that suggests you might be for example heading for the flu so don’t exert yourself and you;ll beat off that flu quickly. Trust your instinct.

Mervyn Abrahams

Hi there, I consider myself to be a male athete 63 years of age, run 50-90 km per week and my resting heartrate dips below 35 bpm.

I suffered from nearly passing out on occasions and still suffer heart palpitations at rest. My GP arranged a 24 hour ECG monitor test, a full blood test, which was followed by an echocardiogram and follow up visit to a cardiologist. The conclusion after a final ECG was that there is nothing wrong with me!!
I was told that I was very fit, but that I needed to listen to my body. (A polite way of telling me I needed to slow down.)
The problem is running (exercise) related. When I stopped running for a few weeks the symptoms disappeared and my heartrate climbed back to a respectable 47 bpm. I do not wish to give up running. But I will need to slow down…a bit!!!

aaron odonnell

Hi, I don’t consider myself to be a fitness fanatic but I do HIIT training at home 3 times per week and I have noticed when I am sat at my desk at work my RHR is around 46 BPM sometimes it can go as low as 41 BPM. The irony is that I am a smoker and slightly over weight so this should reflected by a higher RHR not a lower one.

Rodney Wilms

I work outside as an oilfield roust about have for many years. I weigh around 290lbs. I’m 6’6″ and my resting heart rate ranges from 36-42 when up and active it’s any were from 70-126. I work hard and sweat alot in the heat. Not dizzy or fuzzy oxygen is 97-99. Now that I’ve stopped smoking. Just hope this is a good thing. Not to active outside work 6 days a week. Good or bad??

thesby

32 b.p.m. is that sitting down or standing up. i visted my doctor 3 weeks ago and mine was 70 b.p.m. while sitting and it goes to 86 while walking. i do exercise 4 times a week to matain my heart rate.if your heart rate is 32 b.p.m. and you do not exercise nor eat healthy it wouldn’t hurt to see a doctor or physican.

34.2

thesby

32 b.p.m. is that sitting, lying down, sleeping or standing?your heart beats that low and you don’t exercise. if it’s lying down your heart is just resting itself and your young age could be a factor. i just visited my doctor 3 weeks ago and mine was 60 b.p.m. while resting and 80 while standing. i do exercise 4 times a week to matain my heart health. check your pulse before you go to sleep and make sure that you’re reading it right. the method should be number of beats in 30 seconds times 2. also, it wouldn’t hurt to see a doctor or physican.

mmmmm

mike

Young lady if your still having this problem and have not been to a doctor I strongly suggest you do! and get checked out it’s ok to have low heart rate but not dizzy and fainting aswell, I see you posted this nearly a year ago so I hope you get this and have had a check up already! take care Mike.

Caryn Duncan

My resting rate is between 36-43. I am a 38 year old female, who had an ABI in 2003. Very fit as a youth and still jog almost everyday, but not far. I hope it’s healthy range, but have had it commented upon when coming out of anethesia.

tasha

Recenrly had a ecg due to low heart rate and extra heart beat which was told could be normal. Had ecg on for 24 hrs findings were 45 beats her minute during day and 37 through night. Wasn’t too worried about this cos at the time was running 3-5 miles 3 days a week. What I was am worried about is baseline ecg showed sinus bradycardia. Atrial ectopics but very frequent ventricular ectopics during the day, one morphology and occasional runs of bigeminy and trigeminy longest of 4 and 9 cycles respectively. I have bo idea what any of this means so have to have an appointment to have it explained to me. Blood pressure runs on low side of normal between 94/55 and 111/63…

tasha

To add to this im 37 years of age. When I exercise my heart rate goes up to 175 whilst jogging at a pase of between 9-10 minute per mile. I am no athlete!! Sometimes I’m out of breath just walking up the stairs. In the past I have been anemic. But recent blood tests showed anemia wasn’t present. If anyone has any advice or knows what any of this means I would b happy to hear from you as I cant get an appointment for about a month!

brady branch

Have always had lowish heart rate, 45-50 in bed. Can hike long distances, bicycle to work most days, and so on. Recently noticed very low heart rate in bed, 38. Also when I stand up, it might shoot from 50 up to 90 for a moment.

ECG at Dr was 42bpm that morning, “Sinus Bradycardia”. Dr said probably “Sick Sinus Syndrome”, will probably need a pacemaker at some point. “Soon?” I asked? He said, No, you’re asymptomatic, so carry on.

It’s true, I feel just fine. Just anxious about fact that pulse is so low, and spikes up so easily. Now I’m nervous about biking hard (pulse might go too high) and sleeping (…).

Been monitoring rate with a polar h7 & iphone. At night it hasn’t dropped below 40. On bike, it gets up to 165 sometimes and I get nervous and slow down. :-/

Getting echocardiogram next week.

37

Arial Gonzalez

I’m a 23 year old male swimmer and have a resting heart rate of 14. I wore a holter monitor before and it recorded me down to 2 bpm during deep sleep. Doctors say everything is okay though after doing nuclear stress test where I reached 285bpm after a 15 minute jog and checking my rhythm is completely normal.

Ian

Feeling happier with every email read! I am a 52 year old with RHR of 31 and some 50 odd non beats during sleep. I have always been active and have maintained fitness and a good diet and always had a weekend drink though. I changed from Squash at a high club level to cycling as my back was beginning to niggle! So now do a long weekend cycle of up to 100 miles and keep up midweek training. Also had to lose weight as at 96 kilos and 6″1′ no wonder my back struggled when playing squash. So hit the 5-2 diet (fast diet) and now can cycle up any hill as the weight is down to 86 kilos!

I’m 66 almost and have tried my RHR today and its 53. Been going to the gym and doing exercises as well as cycling this past 2 yrs and gave up smoking 2+yrs ago. Would like to know a proper diet firm with no rip off plans and are good if anyone can post.

John Darmody II

I’ve never tested while asleep or right when I wake up. When I test mine just sitting in the middle of the day it’s usually 40-45. I’m a pretty highly trained middle distance runner. A more telling piece of information isn’t your standalone resting heart rate, but your resting heart rate, your max hr and the difference between them. Again never being officially tested, my max hr is over 200 bpm.

Big Yin

Ed Kanit

I am a 59 year old male, who rides a bicycle very often. Three years ago I had some heart problems and had to have a stent put in. I had regular 6 month appointment today and my resting heart rate was 37!

Clarence Darnell

I had a stress test the other day and they couldn’t get my heart rate to go over 60bpm. The reason for my stress test is that I walk 5-6 miles every other day. Recently I started being very tired and sat down and rested. My PCP thought it might be my heart not responding to the walking. I am 69 and my normal heart rate is around 35bpm. I have been on a Beta blocker 50mg)for over 30 years. My PCP told me to stop taking it after taking only half of the dosage for 4-5 days. Should I be concerned?

Mike

Clarence Darnell, after being on beta blockers for 30 years, you should (from what I’ve recently read) taper off for a munch longer time. 4-5 days may cause you to have some serious side effects. Google weening off of beta blockers. I’m no doctor or claim to be, just seems that your pcp isn’t correct about your taper time.

On another note, I’ve been experiencing a lot of palpitations lately. I had a few days of extra beats and got checked out and all was ok during testing. A couple of weeks went by and then I was experiencing elevated heart rates at rest, which were about 80-95 bpm. Even while sleeping it has been elevated until I noticed this morning after waking up to change positions, it was resting at about 38-40 bpm. When I checked my pulse, the beats felt very forceful but slow. I’m very concerned since I’ve been experiencing all of these other issues prior to now. I’m seeing a dr today, so I hope to get some better answers! Tim, thanks for your write up!

Tim

I have had some recent tests done, due to blackouts & increasing light headedness including a Holter monitor. Interesting, it peaked at 191bpm when at work & stressed out, slowing to 31bpm when asleep at night. Majority of the day it pumped away at 72bpm.

i hit the alarm button a few times when feeling light headed & my pulse had spiked to >110bpm each time. Having an ECG next week at a heart specialist to try to work out what’s going on.

I am 32 . My resting heart rate is only 63 . I am worried. Sometimes I feel pinching and sometimes prickling on the left side of my chest. Many a times I feel breathlessness with continuous nausea which makes me breath through mouth. What to do?

Just though I would let you all know my heart rate was just 31 and this was shortly after cleaning my house and coming dinner so I wasn’t just sitting down my husbands didn’t belive me so he took his heart rate on the monitor or was 80 and he had been sitting for hours then mine again it came back 32 that time I’m not an athlete I’m a mom of two who is in college am very active walking 10000or more steps per day but a side from yoga I don’t really exersises I’m 57 150 bland 25 years old don’t know if that makes a difference lol
PS and a smoker

kaci

I am 30 mom of three and just lying in bed my RHR is 53. I’ve had test ran all Normal. I’m overweight but do chase kids and we eat for the most part vet healthy. I wore a holter over night about a year ago and in deep sleep my heart rate it 34. Doctor wasn’t concerned because it went right back up.

Guillermo

The record Guinness has been 27 bpm for around 10 years, if mine were lower I would try to break that record. The lowest I have recorded myself is 32 upon awakening, and is usually in the 34-36 range. I hope to reach 30 some day.

steve

I’m a 49 yr old male, weigh about weight about 155 lbs. I don’t workout much and have a resting heart beat between 44-46 bpm. Have had some tests done and doc says I’m fine despite me complaining bout getting dizzy quite often.

Kym

I am 59 15kg over weight just got out of hospital from small heart attack resting heart rate was 40 – 45 sleeping 50 sitting , 8 min on tredmill stress test 144 bpm at hospital recovery good , when I was having pain in chest was down to 33bpm , my sister is 50 bpm resting so conclusion is genetic

John

Im 32 not as fit as in my 20’s but RHR only up slightly at around 50-55. In my 20’s it was as in mid to high 40’s. As far as RHR and fitness level, Olympic gold medalist Frank Shorter won the marathon in 72 i think and his RHR was reported to be the low 70’s. Things like VO2 max and how many watts sustained over any period of time is a better measure of fitness. A heart rate in the 30’s is pretty awesome though i have to admit.

Dan

I am a nearly 55 year old female; I have been running about 3 times a week plus other cardio and yoga for the past 4 years and my RHR this morning was 43 bpm. Before I started running it was always around 65 bpm. I guess this makes me fairly fit cardio wise?

Amy

I am 32yrs old . Not an athlete I run a couple of times a week 4/5 miles about an 8min mile so not breaking any records. But my resting heart does beat your records. Lowest recorded heart rate when I was asked to wear the monitor for the week got to 28 bpm during my sleep. When I get up on the morning it rests at 33. Doctors know and have said it’s an enlarged heart and another than a few dizzy spells I am fine .

Pasha

I am 43 years old and started exercising the Shaun Ts Maxout of 30 minutes for five days a week. My heart rate reduced from 75 to 56 bpm, I think it is due to this hard exercise. Though I also lost 15 kg in two months.

Heart rate by Rebecca Ramsay see here: My lowest recorded: 28 bpm. The lowest in the world for a female. My normal is 30-33bpm. Here is my recent heart rate proof…please go Strava to see my proof from my phone test. I am aged 42 and been an elite rider. Think I take Hall of Fame 😀 Can upload to you if u send me email!!

all through my pregnancies, it recorded 30 bpm! As said there is a screen shot of my recent heart rate 33 bpm. The problem with a very low heart rate is black outs – I have very low blood pressure and can’t get up quickly or I faint! Not all great, but hereditary – my father also has a very low heart rate. Genetics eh?!!

I wonder how many questions a heart specialist gets asked a day, when or if admitting to be one. Being out side the normal range can be normal for many reasons . Read every post and as a whole very interesting thank you Tim Moss and all comments food for thought:)

Lola beneference

I’m a 21 year old college student ; I am overweight but I am trying to get healthy ! Trying my hardest ; for the past almost 2 years I have been having this thing in my left ear only where I can here my heart beating . Now I know that sounds crazy but I literally can here my heart beating (pulse) clear as day loud in my left ear . & sometimes it sounds like my heart doesn’t beat right or like its a motor about to give up .. I don’t exercise regularly at all and my I just counted my heart beats 82 beats per minute. I’ve went to the doctors and they all say I need to lose weight and take my blood meds which I am but the noise in my ear still hast gone away . I used google and I found somethings about a “corortid artery” which is scary but what do you guys think?

Barbara Kelly

Lola, as one who used to have high blood pressure, I can tell you that whenever mine ran high, my ears would pulse. As a test, get a blood pressure cuff and start monitoring your blood pressure. If it is consistently running at 140/90 or higher, then you should see your doctor. To not do anything (if it is high blood pressure), puts your liver at risk.

Rebecca Ramsay

just to update: my heart rate is recorded now at 30 bpm here – it must be the lowest recorded for a human female! You can see it posted on Strava last night. I’m 100% healthy no complications. Athlete that finds endurance easy!!

Dan

So I’m wondering. I see so many people with lower than 60bpm resting. Assuming they are measuring it correctly and assuming that maybe some might have an issue….is it safe to say that maybe the gauge of 60-100 bpm heartrate that has always been used as normal might need to be adjusted? 50-90???

ray

I’m interested to know if heart rate may be linked to the lung capacity/volume? Whether I’m training for nepal at 88kg or lazing and snacking out at 102kg my RHR is around 46 bpm. I donate Plasma with the Red Cross and sometimes they have to ring a Doctor to get approval even though I’ve made 60+ donations. Anyway I have always been able to hold my breath for 2-3mins easy and for the first minute or so holding my breath, slows my rate lower than my resting rate. Very Bazaar. Ray

Stephanie

I felt like a dead woman walking when my pulse today was recorded at 43 bpm. I have avoided doctors all my life so have no idea if this is somewhat normal for me, I dont know what to think really. I am 47, 155 lbs and walk 20 – 30 miles a week (13 minute/mile – so a steady pace)). My bp is slightly high 134/64. Finding this thread has given me a little hope that Im not about to keel over and die.

Rebecca Ramsay

stephanie

Okay…so ten weeks later and an update which I hope may be helpful to those reading this thread. I had a bad feeling about my HR, whilst I do about an hour of cardio a day I still am not unusually athletic by any stretch of the imagination…so I went to my GP. They did an EKG which showed multiple PVCs…early heartbeats that do not show up on a regular heart rate monitor. This meant that my HR readings of 40-50 bpm are way off. Apparently pvcs are extremely common, effecting about 2/3rds of us, although most are only getting a couple of hundred a day. My doctor said pvcs are nothing to worry about and I still had a good resting heartrate of about 65 when pvcs are accounted for. However because my father had a heart attack at 58 he referred me to a cardiologist. The cardiologist has done a stress test, a halter monitor test, a nuclear stress test, ekgs bloodwork/cholesterol (which is fantastic – yay me) and an echo. They are still investigating but my ejection fraction is 45 which is way low and the pvcs probably account for 20 % or so of all my beats. He almost wouldnt let me go on the treadmill – he said ‘you will be out of breath in one minute’. My husbands jaw dropped and said ‘you do know she walks fast for an hour a day right?’. My pvcs did go away on the tread mill which is a good sign but something is very wrong with my heart. We’ll see what they find but it is all taking a bit of time. From all I have learned low heart rates are not normal amongst those of us who are not exceptionally fit. Whilst I did want to think my low HR was down to regular cardio and was nothing to stress over, I knew something else must be going on because Im no marathon runner or Olympian. I walked five miles today, same yesterday…and the day before that. I feel great, fitter than I have ever felt but my ejection fraction says otherwise. Low HR’s are not always what they seem. Regards, Stephanie.

John Browning

I found this page trying to see if there is a link between low heart rate and nausea.
I’ve recently been diagnosed with low blood pressure (I now faint; its embarrassing) which I’ve had other symptoms of for years. I had to pester them to get it checked out as hospital thought it must just be concussion.
So I got a monitor and its usually 90 over 60 with pulse 70. Lower bp goes with fuzzy brain, dizziness, exhaustion and craving sweeties; at least I now know salt will help.
Since I got nausea sitting at my desk next to the monitor I thought I’d try it, got 99 over 68 pulse 33. Since this is a one off I don’t think I get on to the hall of fame but now I know that when I feel sick I should go against the instinct to sit still.

Adam

Hey just got a fit bit recently in an attempt to leave another life behind us (used to smoke weed cigs) I’m a 24 yr old male who walks over 8kms a day and trying to pick up the cardiovascular even more by running 6mins for a km (can only do 3kms in a stint atm due to endurance being poor – peak hr during exercise was 186 hopefully this decreases after time and keeping off the smokies). Always eat fresh foods and veg and plenty of omega foods , drink plenty of water and drink equivalent of about 5 cups of coffee a month. Resting hr can vary between 55 to 68 when lying down and around 72 to 75 walking but have seen it around 48 when waking up should I be concerned? Never had any symptoms of dizziness palpatations but worries me a bit to have a resting hr below 60 at times as I’m not exactly the epitome of mo farah in terms of fitness lol

Adam

becky3650

Sounds perfectly normal to me – no worries, you should like you may have athletic endurance abilities! The biggest thing you can do for your health is quit smoking – just quit it. And well done with the diet, sounds very good – just keep it all going, find a sport you enjoy and it will save you (and help you) from much health issues as you go through life..You may see your pulse drop further as you begin endurance exercise like cycling or longer running – don’t worry too much about it. If you don’t have secondary symptoms, then alls good! :). Keep going. All the best.

Rebecca Ramsay

Yes it’s normal! Mine goes u from 30-32 morning rest to about 45-50-70 when up and about but rested. You might be a talented endurance athlete but never knew it :)) try some sport like running biking !! :)

Annvdb

ok :D well I used to do athletics in elementary and was really good and even won first place running. I was always good in endurance, strength not so much since I am tall and slender XD After that i pretty much been a dancer for years but now I just do some at home exercising and I walk daily now for around an hour

77

Olga

Hi. My HR today was 41 bpm minimum and 52 bpm average and 72 bpm maximum, I´m 48 years old, 71.8 kg, 1.60 high I have played basketball, zumba, I like sports, Recently I didn´t do much exercise. I am worried because I think this is not normal, is it?

Rich Hultén

Ali

I’m a 16 year old boy and 5’9″. I’m quite active, but only weigh in at about 60 kg. My resting heart rate is normally on the lower end of 40-50 beats per minute. However i was pleasantly surprised when i recently measured my heart rate whilst lying down, and i found it to be 37 bpm. Is this normal for somebody my age? Are there any other 16 year olds with a RHR in a similar range to mine?

Sam

My BPM has been from the high 40’s to the low 50’s for over 30 years (since I started running). In 2004 I went on a diet and lost 30 lbs. My BPM went down to the mid 30’s for a couple of months. The beats were fairly even and no evidence of missing beats. Over the last year my BPM has gone down again but with an irregular rhythm. I wore a heart monitor for a month last year and found that there were incidences of up to 3 seconds between beats. and had dropped into the 20’s while I was sleeping. This isn’t because I’m healthy. Last year I was falling asleep at my desk at work so I was put on Modafinil. While this has helped to keep me conscious during periods of sedentary desk work I still get periods of mental confusion and sluggishness. I still do short runs on the treadmill three times a week and I can still get my HR up past 130 BPM; however it drops dramatically to less than 90 BPM in less than 3 minutes. I don’t believe this quick decline is healthy. I’ve already been to visit “Inspector Gadget” and all of his invasive options. I’m only 60 and I am not mentally prepared to have a pacemaker implanted. How long have any of you others lasted before getting a pacemaker with this condition?

Stephanie

I am having an ablation in three weeks to try to cure my low heart rate. My nice low resting heart rate was actually ‘premature ventricular contraction induced cardiomyopathy’. I walk and run and eat well but my heart was dying, a slow heart rate being the only symptom. My advice to anyone here reading this because theyve been researching their own low HR is to not assume it is because of fitness. Even my primary care doctor congratulated me on my wonderful heart rate! Further tests though showed damage and a problem that needed attention. If your hr is in the 40s then get checked out.

Rebecca Ramsay

Update 12.April 2017 – my heart rate was recently measured at 25 beats a minute accurately with 7 day Holter monitor test with the hospital. I was getting checked for tiny palpitations which came out being completely 100% benign. But the low night time heart rate was picked up. I believe this really IS the slowest heart rate observed in a human heart, man or woman! I’m not doing Guinness Book of Records and all that jazz, but just so you have reference here. BTW, I’m super fit, was a former professional athlete and continue to exercise a moderate 8 hours a week with NO symptoms whatsoever. This doesn’t rule out the fact I ‘will’ at some point likely need a pacemaker later on in life – isn’t a bad thing and doesn’t stop you doing normal activities…so all good…:)

Stephanie

When my heart rate was in the 40s my pulse-ox always read 98 or 99. And i have heart failure. I had no idea, felt fantastic. And im a runner in my 40s! I think your numbers strongly suggest you go visit a cardiologist. Good luck.

Michael Broderick

Olivia

My lowest resting heart rate has been 30bpm then upon getting up and moving around soars to 130 at times. I’m not fit, quite disabled with MS and lesion related respiratory issues, I’m sure my erratic hr is due to a coronary issue. Being tested with a 7 day ecg in next few weeks. Great article…thanks!

linda ford

Pat McCaffrey

68yo make here, don’t exercise. Have always been asked by medical staff if I’m an athlete as my heart rate is low.
Got myself an Apple Watch & wear it every night. It alerts I’d RM falls below 40 for 10 minutes.
Get many alerts each night with lowest heart rate of 34bpm.

Austin

Frank

I have a question that I can’t find an answer to:
After working out on a home trainer bike, I have normal recovery from say 160 to ~100-110 after a minute. When I keep active, on my legs but calm, after that it goes to 60-70 after a few minutes; this is all normal. BP is generally around 80-120/130, age low 50’s. After runs, similar Heart rate recovery, slightly less when still walking, also normal

However, when I lie down on bed, feet up, and doing some reading, it goes down to below 40, even (low) thirty, within about 5-10 minutes. In light of this page, it may seem normal, and I have no issue jumping up and getting active at any time.

Question: would lying flat with legs up against the wall allow for such 10-20 beats lower than normal, perhaps especially after a 30 minutes, quite strenuous, cycling workout?

I’m 26 years old boy who has some time smoke but now I’m trying to reduce my habit but my T wave in going higher in my ecg report. how can I get overcome to this problem? Recently i have purchased 12 Lead ECG Monitor “SanketLife” Which is very helpful for me to record my daily heart activity and share my medical grade report to my doctors.